South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

Kids might sneak a play of this soundtrack for the kick of hearing four-letter words rarely put to music. But adults, especially those who grew up on Broadway melodies, love the South Park movie score for its fond, roguish evocations of songs from Oklahoma, Fiddler on the Roof and Les Miserables. Parker’s not-so-secret sin is that—virtually alone among heterosexuals under 50—he loves the grand ambitions and soaring chords of the old songs. He stashes versions of them in the TV episodes of South Park (who can forget Cartman’s rousingly lurid gospel number “Body of Christ”?) and, abetted by super-arranger Marc Shaiman, packed a dozen fabulous parodies into the movie. Actually, parody schmarody. These are terrific songs—the finest, sassiest full movie musical score since the disbanding of the Freed Unit at MGM.